Would you finish a Marathon, if I told you a training plan that does not require hitting the wall?

Congrats on completing the Ogden Marathon! I love the idea of running a marathon. On paper or on the computer it sounds great, and everyone I've spoken to about marathons seem so passionate about it.

I love the enthusiasm they have for it, and if that's your life dream, then go for it! Even my uncle ran a marathon, yet I probably would not do it, even if I could avoid austere circumstances such as hitting the wall. I believe your body should only take so much pain, or impact, and your legs would get sore.

Not that I'm a wimp or anything, but there is only so much stress you should put on your body, and the satisfaction to say I ran the marathon would not be first on my priority list of things I personally would do. I think it's important to do things that make you feel happy, and at the end of the day running a marathon isn't one of those for me. In life it's not how far you run that matters, but if you enjoyed doing it.

If you enjoy the pain and the blisters in your feet, as well as the amount of exertion, then go for it. I don't think marathons are for everyone, but I find it fascinating that something like 1% of people run marathons.

Good for you for finishing your marathon! Now...as for me? I wouldn't run a marathon without some very, very good motivation - along the lines of, "Folkrockfan, if you run to the finish line, you'll win a new kidney for your dying mother." (However, Mom is not currently in need of any body parts, so right now I would reject the offer.

) Short of that? No thanks. I did more than enough running, road marching, and other such things when I was in the Army, and would rather cut off my feet with a hacksaw than do anything that involves as much endurance as a marathon.

I love walking, and will go out of my way to do it, but twenty-plus miles is a lot, especially when you throw in running, which I despise.

I'm not sure that eating is generally allowed. Give that 'the wall' is the point where you run out of sugar reserves, I think you plan would work, but I'm not sure that it's legal. If you are walking 22 miles, why not walk the whole distance?

It seems to defeat the purpose of 'running' a marathon. So I guess my answer is no. Walking 18 miles once a week is a good recipie for developing endurance, but you're still going to need to run a few other days to get some cardio fitness.

I think, overall, it's not a bad plan, but I think it's outside the bounds of what is normally considered proper.

Yes, I would. Almost everything I read requires hitting a wall. Two friends from my church have twice done Relay for Life; they both thought they were going to die about mile 16, but they ran the entire distance.

Currently I'm doing my own training plan to get into shape. I have exercise-induced asthma so it's important I don't push myself too hard. There's nothing quite as unhealthy as having your throat close up while you're running and miles from home!

I'm currently in training for the Walt Disney World half-marathon in January 2010. The only race I've ever done (since anyway) is a 5k, also at Walt Disney World, this past January. If this half-marathon goes well, maybe I'll consider registering for the Walt Disney World full marathon in 2011.

:-).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.